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Barcelona terror attack: Spain hunts for van driver

Barcelona terror attack: Spain hunts for van driver

Spain mounts a sweeping anti-terror operation after a suspected Islamist militant drove a van into crowds in Barcelona, killing 13 people before fleeing, in what police suspect was one of multiple planned attacks.

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"I was just sitting there and I felt something just get stuck in my leg rope, and I was kicking, trying to get it away," Fanning said.

Fanning appeared in shock and at a loss for words as he tried to describe the attack.

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"I was just about to start moving and then I felt something grab [and] get stuck in my leg rope. And I instantly just jumped away and it just kept coming at my board. I was just started kicking and screaming. Wow!

Mick Fanning looks on from the safety of a jet-ski as the water safety team continues to look for the shark that attacked him during the final of the JBay Open. Photo: World Surf League/Kirstin Scholtz

"I'm happy to not even compete ever again. Seriously, to walk away from that, I'm just so stoked," Fanning said.

Wilson, who paddled towards Fanning when he saw the attack, was also emotional afterwards, saying through tears that he felt as if he couldn't get to Fanning quickly enough.

I just saw fin, I didn't see the teeth. I was waiting for the teeth to come at me as I was swimming.

Mick Fanning

"It came up and he was wrestling it, and I saw he got knocked off his board," Wilson said.

"I was like, 'I've got a board, if I can get there I can stab it or whatever, I've got a weapon.' "

Mick Fanning holds his head in his hands in disbelief after being attacked by a shark during the final of the JBay Open while fellow finalist Julian Wilson (red) looks on. Photo: World Surf League/Kelly Cestari

Fanning described the shark as "big enough". It was seen half an hour after the attack, while there were unconfirmed reports that a second shark was involved.